Boy at the British Museum, a photo from London, England

Photographer's Note

I thought I'd post something different after my tea dance photos. This was taken in the Great Court of the British Musuem. Pictures from here are numerous on TE, often showing the wonderful glass roof of the Great Court. I didn't think I could add anything new to the collection of glass roof shots on TE and have opted to post this one. The boy looks tired, as if he has worn himself out trying to see all of the museums 7 million exhibits.

saxo042, Royaldevon, danos, graffer, holmertz, axiotea, rigoletto has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

chandrapranil (1087) 2010-08-08 17:56

Hi Bev,

Beautifully captured. The kid dressed in black is certainly standing out against the light steps.

Great timing and thank you for sharing

Pranil

tomescuc (3291) 2010-08-08 18:29

Hi Bev,
A new pose for The Thinker, perhaps. Or just another 12 year old bored to tears of all this culture ;-) In any case, it is cleverly composed against the structure, excellent depth, with the people on top nicely balancing the image. Nice natural colors too.
cheers,
Cristian

Ascot (339) 2010-08-09 1:59

Beautifully simple photo, Bev. I love the way the BG is almost white apart from the geometry of the stairs, which show a lovely perspective. Most pleasing to look at, I have to say. You have caught the perfect look!

Warm wishes, Amelia

smarcell (19965) 2010-08-09 2:47

Hello Bev, I like your idea. I also posted a museum image today, more or less on the same line as yours.
I think that a clever way to take pictures in museums is to show pieople reactions to the artworks that are shown, rather than showing the artworks themselves.
Any booklet would have better pictures, in that case.
Regards Stefano

agjika (3177) 2010-08-09 4:31

Hi Bev,

This poor boy looks very sad! Maybe he feels even smaller near those incredibly massive marble coloumns. I have been there it is incredible, you would need to spend a whole year to visit it properly!

Fantastic POV and composition.

Greetings

Aleks

tusharkmandal (3173) 2010-08-09 7:26

Hi Bev,

A nice composition I would say. The just comes out and in sharp focus in the white background. Must be thinking very seriously, and totally unaware by your presence.:)

Have a nice time
Tushar

saxo042 (38078) 2010-08-09 10:05

Hi Bev,
You really use the stairs here in a very fine way in your composition. This picture reminds me of an older picture of yours, taken at La Grande Arche, Le Defense (one of my favorites). Here you focus of the boy, who is very close, and let our eyes lift up the other persons, very far away. This is an excellent picture, imdeed another favorite!
Kind regards
Gunnar

mikeyeats (136) 2010-08-09 12:23

Bev,
Excellent picture. The boy fits in really well with the way the steps go off into the distance and in a curve. really nice composition.
Regards
Mike

wolf38 (30) 2010-08-09 23:19

Hi Bev An interesting study of this boy. People in museums are an ideal subject for photographers. Add to this the interesting architecture of the houses and the works of art. Sometimes you can combine everything in a single photo. I like your photo very well. Regards, Wolfgang.

Royaldevon (75284) 2010-08-10 3:33

A fine shot, Bev, full of emotion.
I love how you have placed him right in the f/g to grab our attention, but then let the steps guide us, ever upwards, to where he has been, or could it be that he is wanting to go there but has been left waiting! Who knows! That's the mystery!

Have a great day,
Bev :-)

danos (110407) 2010-08-11 1:34

Hi Bev,
really different your photo with the colour of the boy to contrast perfect with the whiteness of the stairs,lead-in the eyes on the entrance of the Museum.

have a nice day,danos

delnaja (2056) 2010-08-11 10:23

Hi Bev,

a good one for sure ! Graphism and life in one photo. I don't know why but I would have instinctively made a conversion in b&w.
I really like the expression of the boy. He seems to have been abandoned by the people at the top of the photo.

Best wishes

Fred

holmertz (92774) 2010-08-11 13:28

Hello Bev,
This is a great photo. The boy is so well placed and his body is so expressive. The perspective is excellent. The white steps seem so tall and the people on top look so far away. In case someone didn't know what a huge place the British Museum is, this photo clearly gives an idea.
Warm regards,
Gert

Elaine_Blath (8471) 2010-08-13 4:42

Hello Bev,

nice capture/portrait from life, pity that the boy´s feet touch the lower edge of the photo, but otherwise great photo!

Have a nice day, Ivana

eldancer1 (36343) 2010-08-15 12:52

Excellent composition and framing of the boy with his tired looking expression. Good work on the lines that goes up to the top. Great pov and dof. Well done, tfs.

hemantbuch (1649) 2010-08-16 12:27

Hi Bev,

You have an excellent collection of photos, but the first one to catch my eye was this striking composition. Congrats...

Regards,

Hemant

axiotea (21651) 2010-08-28 2:42

Hello Bev
Interesting compo with the horizontal lines of the stairs and your choice of vertical format. The boy made for a good starting point and the empty space between him and the people on top added a sense of distance.
I could not resist and made a ws, just for the fun, hoping you don't mind :)
Cheers
Marilyn

[workshop] [compare] +

bantonbuju (51815) 2010-08-28 9:00

this one is just superb! the compo, the perspective, the pattern of the stair and its geometry! - a week ago i was in london, this time not brit museum, this time - tate modern! this was something!...

bw, j.

rigoletto (34279) 2010-08-30 13:54

Very close to how i felt in Rome. Walking and walking all day long (from 9 am to 10 pm etc), and doing this for two full weeks...
I remember myself sitting (or even lying) almost unconciously on the stairs of churches, museums and ruins... But for an arts and architecure geek like me, it was definitely worth.
Great work you have here, Dear Bev. Already favourited two times, but i also have to express my delight upon seeing how you made use of those white stairs and the exhausted kid. Great composition. Congratulations!
Deniz

sayeed_rahman (6461) 2010-09-25 23:08

I have seen that you find these frames very often, even the current post shows that human condition, very strong portraiture of daily life, of the current youth..

for the depiction, this is a very important photo, this could be a series too, have you thought about it ?

sayeed

iainsp (3298) 2010-10-21 15:39

Hi Bev,

Either he is tired, or he is well fed up that his mum and dad have spent hours in front of the Elgin Marbles, but still won't take him upstairs to the mummies; or he has been dragged past his umpteenth arrowhead-in-a-glass-case, but still has not been taken to the childrens' section.

Your composition is fantastic, with the lad jammed in to the lower corner of the frame, with the pristine stairs leading away from him.

Great shot with an excellent mood, thanks, Iain

annjackman (23019) 2010-11-02 2:13

Hi Glint,
I love your photo style and this one particularly captured my attention. The steps provide the necessary empty space that adds to the mood on the boys face. Is he bored, lonely, upset or contemplating what he has seen in the museum - the viewer can make their own interpretation. The people at the top of the steps are essential as in contrast to the boy they are not alone. The very bright white (top right) is a little distracting.
I have taken many pictures on a similar theme (steps of public buildings) but wish I had taken this one!
Thanks for sharing this
Ann

arijit_ghosh86 (795) 2011-10-14 3:46

WOW great shot..I can read the eyes...and the black dress that has stand out against the while steps..

the upper portion of this picture complete the composition..MY best regards,
arijit.